McCain, Obama Reach Out To Women Voters

Washington Post: McCain Seeks To Cut Into Traditional Democratic Advantage

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Juliet Eilperin.

---

Sen. John McCain and his aides have gone out of their way to praise Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in recent days, and by the end of the week his most prominent female supporter, former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Carly Fiorina, will embark on a female-focused speaking tour in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The presidential campaign is hoping to capitalize on the "security moms" who backed President Bush over Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) in the 2004 election, while making inroads with other voters by questioning Sen. Barack Obama's experience on the economy and foreign affairs and trying to exploit unhappiness with his defeat of Clinton.

Their effort is understandable. While working-class white men have been a focus of the primaries, women -- who made up 54 percent of the electorate in 2004 -- may prove to be more decisive in the fall election.

McCain's overtures to women in the past have been limited -- his daughter Meghan McCain writes her own blog and his chief strategist's wife heads up a voluntary women's outreach group -- and now he is offering independent and Democratic women the unconventional pitch that his policy prescriptions for economic, health-care and environmental issues trump such traditional issues as equal pay, abortion rights and contraception coverage.

"No one should take a woman's vote for granted, and the Democratic Party should certainly not take it for granted," said Fiorina, who appeared on "Good Morning America" yesterday as part of her effort to reach female voters. "I'm a woman, and as a woman, I'm really proud Hillary Clinton ran for president. I am enormously proud of what she did, and frankly, I have enormous sympathy for what she went through."

Fiorina, who has campaigned for McCain for months and now serves as the Republican National Committee's Victory chair, said that while Republicans have not always won women as a bloc, the campaign has "a level playing field to work with" because "there are Democratic women who are very upset with the way the Democratic primary went."

But the Obama campaign and its allies are already courting Clinton's supporters with phone calls and behind-the-scenes negotiations on staffing and say they are confident that even Democratic women who have expressed anger about the outcome of the primaries would support Obama in the fall because of the Democratic Party's stance on domestic issues.

Obama senior adviser Anita Dunn said women were torn in the Democratic primary contests because voters were choosing between "two historic candidates, when both historic candidates had excellent records on women's issues."

"We're not running against Hillary Clinton any longer, and that's not the choice women have to make," she said yesterday. "They're choosing between two candidates who have dramatically different records on women's issues, neither of whom are a woman."

Women's groups moved quickly to close ranks behind the presumptive Democratic nominee this week,with several former Clinton supporters joining in a conference call to try to debunk McCain's assertion that he can appeal to women. Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, posted an article on the Huffington Post Web site on Tuesday explaining why her late mother, Ann Richards, who was a governor of Texas, would have backed Obama -- "Mom required only one thing of the many folks who asked for her campaign help: a 100 percent belief in women's rights" -- and her group is organizing 250 parties nationwide next week where female activists will tout Obama's legislative record.

But no one is underestimating the task ahead, which is to blitz voters with information on the two candidates' records to convince them that McCain is not as moderate as many women think he is.

"Let me be clear: We've got a lot of work to do," said Emily's List Executive Director Ellen Moran, whose Democratic political action committee backed Clinton's presidential bid but now favors Obama. "We're starting to do the research and focus the debate."

Polling data suggest that women are more likely than men to hold unfavorable views of McCain and to say they support Obama over McCain. But a Pew Research Center survey in late May suggested that the Democratic nomination battle may have had consequences for Obama. That poll found Obama just slightly ahead of McCain among women, 47 to 42 percent, while the two were nearly even among men, 47 percent for Obama to 46 percent for McCain.

Democrats are now taking heart from a Gallup daily tracking poll, which shows Obama making greater gains among women than men since Clinton left the race. "Obama's lead among women has now expanded from five percentage points to 13, while his deficit among men has shrunk from six points to two," Gallup reported.

The Planned Parenthood Action Fund has started distributing material advertising that McCain supports overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion, and has opposed federal funding for comprehensive sex education at home and family planning overseas. It has given the senator a zero percent lifetime voting rating on women's issues. And Obama is likely to include a new section on women's issues in his stump speech, Dunn said, now that "he has a very different opponent" than Clinton.

But while the two candidates differ sharply on issues such as abortion rights and family planning, both camps probably will focus on economic issues to appeal to women this fall. In separate interviews yesterday, supporters used identical language to discuss how McCain and Obama view rising gasoline prices.

"John McCain gets that it now costs $80 to fill up your minivan when it used to cost $40," strategy director Sarah Simmons said.

"When you spend $76 to fill up the tank of your minivan, that's real money," said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), adding that when Obama talks about issues that matter to women, "that is really going to win them over and warm them to him."

McCain advisers said they plan to appeal to women in states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania and Kentucky, who may be easier to sway than male union members, and who probably will consider economic issues as more critical than questions about contraception.

"The best thing we can do for women voters in this country is secure the future," said Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), a McCain backer and abortion opponent. "What we have is a group of politicians denying that we have significant problems ahead of us. We're in some tall weeds, and we need strong leadership to get us out of there."

As part of their outreach to women McCain's aides have started booking him on shows such as "The View" and "Ellen" -- "We're trying to figure out ways to highlight his feminine side," senior aide Mark Salter quipped last week -- but the GOP candidate's campaign still has a fairly masculine feel. While the senator's communication director, director of scheduling operations and national campaign co-chair are women, the top aides who usually travel with him are all men, and McCain has made an occasional comment that takes audiences aback, as he did during an appearance on "The Daily Show" when he referred to a 14-year-old who had questioned his position on equal pay as "a very attractive young woman."

Fiorina, who has spent years addressing female audiences, said she is confident that McCain could appeal to women on issues such as climate change and portable, private health insurance because "very few women who I've met are single-issue voters."

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), however, said McCain and his aides would be wiser to focus their attention elsewhere.

"I don't think these are folks that are going to go out and be for John McCain," she said of Clinton's backers. "Honestly, in the end I believe it will be a fool's errand."

Polling analyst Jennifer Agiesta contributed to this report.

[david1737]

McCain was on of the Keating 5!

I ask all Americans to google the Keating 5/S&L scandal.

McCain/Bush and his family were all over this and it cost the American tax payer over $1.4 trillion dollars!

It stems from deregulation of the S&Ls.


Combine this with the facts about Phil Gramm his econ. Guru, who created the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, greatly responsible for the Sub prime melt down and the economic turmoil of today, and you will see that McCain''s economic policy is crafted by criminals.

[david1737]

McCain''s econ. adviser.

Let''s continue where we left off with Phil Gramm:


Gramm was simultaneously being paid by UBS to lobby the United States Senate about the mortgage crisis, opposing government regulation, helping to kill a 2006 anti-predatory lending bill that would have tighten consumer protections and might have mitigated the current crisis.

[david1737]

McCain''s campaign is fraught with crooks such as Charlie Black, Phil Gramm.

Let''s all google Charlie Black!

McCain Campaign%u2019s top Adviser Charlie Black. Black worked for "BKSH" Lobbying firm, which worked with Chalabi who provided the Bush administration with fake intelligence to justify the war.

Charlie Black also was a lobbyist for multiple murderous dictators.

[david1737]

jlmeal

RETHINK?

REINVENT?

Let''s take a look at McCain''s econ adviser.


McCain''s general co-chair, Phil Gramm, was working as a lobbyist for a foreign bank (UBS) here in the United States. That is the former Texas senator was paid to lobby Congress specifically about the mortgage crisis, at the exact same time he was helping to craft Senator McCain%u2018s economic policies and home mortgage crisis policies as an McCain economic adviser.

[david1737]

McCain and the Repubs. equal a further erosion of Women''s reproductive rights.

[rgrxx175]

mccain reaching out to woman, wow thats a good one, ask his first wife about how he treats woman...

[rgrxx175]

mccain reaching out to woman, wow thats a good one, ask his first wife about how he treats woman...

John McCain%u2019s Economic plan.
RETHINK: America must rethink the global views on what America is capable of in the current state of technology, engineering.
REFORM: America must rise to demands of a global economy, the need for higher quality and less restricted trade routes for Made in USA components that will exceed the current standards of currently produced items. Era of purchasing products in America made by Slave/Child labor is done!
REINVENT: Americans must reinvent themselves to reach and maintain these standards by sheer American ingenuity, control the world%u2019s marketplace in the competitive manner as we have always been proud to rule.
McCain solution:
Retrained individuals with knowledge w/ manufacturing employer skills coupled with the requirements of the employee, the USA will have a base of ready made and willing manufacturing firms.
USA based jobs create a whole new infrastructure for additional USA companies, from Asphalt to Zoos. Manufacturing companies need outside support and America needs jobs.
Fill the empty buildings across America. Let the building owners write off the loss in taxes! More revenue will come from the new jobs and investment profits. Products designed and made by Americans from asphalt products to Zoo products all built of a better quality than slave labor China, Cambodia, India, Pakistan and the like.
4.Investors will again invest MADE IN USA products and companies.

John McCain%u2019s Economic plan.
RETHINK: America must rethink the global views on what America is capable of in the current state of technology, engineering.
REFORM: America must rise to demands of a global economy, the need for higher quality and less restricted trade routes for Made in USA components that will exceed the current standards of currently produced items. Era of purchasing products in America made by Slave/Child labor is done!
REINVENT: Americans must reinvent themselves to reach and maintain these standards by sheer American ingenuity, control the world%u2019s marketplace in the competitive manner as we have always been proud to rule.
McCain solution:
Retrained individuals with knowledge w/ manufacturing employer skills coupled with the requirements of the employee, the USA will have a base of ready made and willing manufacturing firms.
USA based jobs create a whole new infrastructure for additional USA companies, from Asphalt to Zoos. Manufacturing companies need outside support and America needs jobs.
Fill the empty buildings across America. Let the building owners write off the loss in taxes! More revenue will come from the new jobs and investment profits. Products designed and made by Americans from asphalt products to Zoo products all built of a better quality than slave labor China, Cambodia, India, Pakistan and the like.
4.Investors will again invest MADE IN USA products and companies.

[jheckerman]

Well I am not getting the message. Obama is not reaching out to me. Of course he never did. He prefers the youth of America. Baby Boomer''s are on the down hill side in his attention. They don''t know about CHANGE. Obama supporters think they have a corner on the market exploring Change. I am a Clinton Supporter and I am very use to being active in her (Our)campaign every day. Now it is quiet. I have nothing to look forward to. I barely post a comment. Only a women can understand Gender bias. Hope this works out for you Mr. Obama. Hope it works out.

[taddles3]

"Obama''''''''s health care plan is a joke. His energy policy is pathetic. And, again, I''''''''ve never seen ANY candidate who''''''''s as misogynistic as Obama.


Posted by sassysenora"


Obama''s health care plan is very similar to Hillary''s (according to Hillary herself), if you claim his health care plan is a joke than you must not have thought much of hers.

Again, Obama''s energy policy is very similar to Hillary''s.

Misogynistic? In what way has Obama ever been misogynistic? He supports womens right to choose, he is an advocate for equality in the work place, his VP nominating committee is headed by a woman, he treats his wife with the utmost respect (unliek McCain who treats his wife like a doormat). He treated Hillary as an equal and capable adversary and never once mentioned her *** or diminished her capability as a possible command-in-cief (unlike Hillary)

Please show me any instance of Obama treating women with anything but respect.

[taddles3]

"First, the C rumor is just that, a rumor. As for McCain leaving his first wife, Kerry had similar problems.

Posted by sassysenora


According to three separate reporters who were present at the news conference, McCain did in fact call his wife a c**t and a trollop in public.

"At one point, Cindy playfully twirled McCain''s hair and said, "You''re getting a little thin up there." McCain''s face reddened, and he responded, "At least I don''t plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you ***." McCain''s excuse was that it had been a long day."

Kerry didn''t leave his wife while she was in the hospital with cancer. No one is slamming McCain for having a divorce, he''s getting slammed for the insensitive way in which he did it which demonstrates his character.

[taddles3]

"lol, realdealreport.com reported on this as well. The main stream media is twisting the polls around.

Posted by jjandall at 09:46 AM : Jun 13, 2008"


You really need to find a better source of news, something without a section on alien abductions.

[fuzzybear9]

Hello America

Fuzzy Bear we just got out of our homes from the rising flood waters, and we stopped into the public library to get on the internet to read your posting,
what do we do now ?

well thats a good question ?

because you really aren`t in a position to grow crops yet are you ?

what we need to do as a nation is to get you on a tractor as fast as possible,
and I think we should concentrate on flood water crops that do well, I would assume corn, but I don`t think the Department of Agriculture has any type of contingency plan set up, I`m pretty sure they would not have thought of it, what with all the incompitent workers there and all. and the Democrat congress and so on and so forth.

sincerely preparing for the Hurtricane Season, Bear
Fuzzy p.s. when it rains it pours !

[fuzzybear9]

Hello America

Fuzzy we know you could have helped us on the Flooding is you weren`t blind sided by the Incompitent people at the National Weather Service,
but what of the future ?

well , thats what we all want a look at isn`t it ?

lets look at the real or possible real consequences of all this flooding,
Crops, it looks like we have lost Corn, Wheat, Soy,
and numerous malt grains.

so when the supply is low and the demand is high food prices will go out of sight. coupeled with high diesel prices.

so I would close all ports and make an Immediate recall of all farm produce going over seas, especially to Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.
no more food shipments from U.S. ports.

thats what needs to be done immediately.

sincerely with your best interest in mind, Bear
Fuzzy

[DCropp]

Senator McCain should read the newspaper.

McCain was complaining about Obama missing a town hall in New York City. (Only a Republican thinks of a town hall in New York City). Anyone ever notice the people McCain draws to his speeches?

Many states have been flooding. Obama understands we''re hurting and was in my home state of Wisconsin. This may not get the attention of the media, but it''s something that we appreciate.

Many states in the area have been devastated. Obama comes to visit. McCain goes to New York City and says Obama should be there.

McCain doesn''t understand. When Americans are hurting, we want a president who shares our grief.

[fuzzybear9]

Hello America

Fuzzy what is todays take ?

Incompitence

the Incompitent National Weather Service.

all those Hawvard and MIT graduates working for the National Weather Service.

Fuzzy What are you talking about.

well I should have seen this coming, a record heat wave in New York City, and a blasting cold in Bozeman,
set up the senario for the perfect storm.
or vortex systems.

and since the Democratic Congress, keeps reasuring us that the National Weather Service, the FDA, and FEMA.
have everything under control, I was blind sided.

I should have seen this one coming, we couldn`t have saved their homes but the good folks in Iowa could have at least saved their belongings, with the proper extreme weather warning.

which only shows you can`t trust the Democrats to save the nation in a time of peril.

sincerely to all the needless suffering folks of Iowa,
Fuzzy Bear

[jjandall]

lol, realdealreport.com reported on this as well. The main stream media is twisting the polls around.

[abbe91]

McCain has a horrible record on Women''''s issues

Posted by jedi080808 at 02:28 AM : Jun 13, 2008"

With the recent H.R.2831 ... Not voting, "being too busy" on the campaign trail. Could not vote for it because what he thinks of women, could not vote against it because he needs their votes.

[watcher269-2009]

John McBush - His own words 3 years ago on meet the press

RUSSERT: The fact is you are different than George Bush.

SEN. McCAIN: No. No. I-the fact is that I''m different but the fact is that I have agreed with President Bush far more than I have disagreed. And on the transcendent issues, the most important issues of our day, I''ve been totally in agreement and support of President Bush.

McCain went on to insist that, on domestic policies, he and the president had butted heads - which is true on issues like combating climate change and campaign finance.

"But," he quickly added, "I will argue my conservative record voting with anyone''s, and I will also submit that my support for President Bush has been active and very impassioned on issues that are important to the American people. And I''m particularly talking about the war on terror, the war in Iraq, national security, national defense, support of men and women in the military, fiscal discipline, a number of other issues. So I strongly disagree with any assertion that I''ve been more at odds with the president of the United States than I have been in agreement with him."